Donald Trump Calls CNN And NBC ‘Country’s Biggest Enemy’ Days After Trying To Have Russia Reinstated In G7

Days after Donald Trump drew fire for pushing to have Russia reinstated in the G7 at the same time special counsel Robert Mueller declared that the country continues its attempts to interfere with elections, he has decided America has a new greatest enemy — CNN and NBC.

Trump has raised controversy for a tweet declaring that the news outlets are the “country’s biggest enemy.” The statement has drawn fire from critics who say Trump’s continual attacks on the press are out of line, as are his efforts to cozy up to Russia even as the country continues attacks against the United States. This week, special counsel Robert Mueller asked a judge to withhold some evidence in the Russia investigation, saying that Russia has continued its attempts to meddle in American elections, Bloomberg reported.

Trump’s blast against the television news outlets came in response to the reaction to his summit with North Korea. On Wednesday, Trump declared that North Korea is no longer a threat after the nation reportedly committed to a denuclearization plan. But as CNN reported, there are no solid commitments from North Korea about exactly how this will happen, what time frame it will take place within, and how the international community will verify that the country has dismantled its nuclear program.

“[T]here was no mention of the previous US aim of ‘complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization’ from Pyongyang,” CNN reported. “Kim’s commitments did not appear to go beyond what he already pledged to do in April when he met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in along their countries’ border.”

Other news outlets joined CNN in noting the lack of details in the North Korea plan, drawing Trump’s ire on Wednesday morning.

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Criticism has grown on Donald Trump for his harsh treatment of American allies — including attacks on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after he said Canada would not tolerate American sanctions — and kid-glove treatment of enemies. Trump was effusive in his praise for North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, just days after he pushed for Russia to be given a place back at the table with the G7.

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At this weekend’s summit, Trump publicly asked allies to let Russia back into the group.

“I think it would be an asset to have Russia back in,” Trump said (via CNN). “I think it would be good for the world. I think it would be good for Russia. I think it would be good the United States. I think it would be good for all of the countries of the current G7. I think the G8 would be better.”

Russia had been expelled from what was then the G8 after it annexed Crimea in 2014 in what CNN noted was the first violation of a European country’s borders since World War II.